Plastic spinners

[fly boy3]

What am I doing wrong. Nearly always I have to cut/file area for prop. Is there a formula for ordering a spinner? Shaft size, prop size, overall size. Or is it just experience. Cheers.

[John Privett]

No, I think I've always had to cut the spinner to make room for the prop, so I guess they deliberately make the cutout a bit smaller than most people are going to need.

Actually.... I take back that comment! Looking at my electric Katana 30E, the spinner supplied fitted with no cutting using a 14x7 APC Electric prop. But then leccy props have a much smaller blade area than i/c ones immediately adjacent to the hub.

[Bob Cotsford]

You're not doing anything wrong.

Most spinners are cut for the smallest prop blades that are likely to be used with it. You just size the spinner to fit the shape and size of the model's nose then adjust the cutouts to suit your prop. If the spinners were made with a cutout to fit the largest possible prop with the most pitch where the hub would still fit then most people would rightly complain that the cutouts were too big.

[dav84]

What do people use to enlarge the prop opening. I dont have a dremel and the plastic is pretty tough.

[John Privett]

I normally just use a Swann-Morton scalpel. Yes, the plastic is quite tough, but I generally just cut away a little sliver at a time until I get the amount I want removed. Make sure that the remaining plastic on the spinner is completely clear of the prop blade.

[Glyn R]

I now use Alloy spinners which so far have fitted every prop I tried without any cutting. They are also easier to fit because the adapter will allow the cone to fit in any position.

[Allan Bennett]

I carefully pare away with a hobby knife until I've got about 1/8" clear around the prop. Some of the spinners I've had are thinner at the area you need to cut, to make it easier.

[fly boy3]

Thanks all for your info re plastic spinners. I think Bob suggested, eye up the nose to size up the spinner first, good idea. I also fancy the alloy ones except for the price LoL. Cheers and thanks

[Panther]

Use a round file for plastic spinners but mostly I now use alloy and they don't require a touch up. They are cheaper from HK than the plastic ones from your LHS I have found.